By Kyle Harris, Denverite

Denver has been smeared as the “Mile High Income” city, a spendy place only the rich can afford.

No free fun? Hooey!

Tourists and locals alike have many options when it comes to fun, fascinating and otherwise worthwhile things to do without spending a buck. We’ve put together a list of more than a hundred: galleries, bike rides, hikes, weird sports, museum free days, festivals, legally questionable activities, and a few things that would make your social studies teacher proud (a trip to City Council, anyone?).

One note: Some items involve wheels. If you don’t have any, there are rideshare bikes and scooters sitting around town, waiting for you to rent them.

We’re eager to add to this list and try new things out ourselves, so let us know what we’re missing, at [email protected].

The best free things to do in Denver

16th Street Mall, 1001 16th Street Mall.

You can spend big at the movie theater, shops and restaurants on the 16th Street Mall, but getting on board the Free Mall Ride is a perfect way to see this Denver tourist strip. Get a taste of downtown’s ups and downs. Enjoy mighty-fine people watching and rotating activities like ice skating, rollerskating, piano playing and chess. Better yet, walk or roll (in a wheelchair, not a scooter or bike, which are banned) one way, and ride the other, making stops as you go.

40 West Arts District, West Colfax Ave., Lakewood.

One of the Denver area’s fastest-rising arts destinations is in the nearby western suburb of Lakewood. Just catch a bus up Colfax Avenue and check out many of Denver’s greatest galleries, which were priced out of the Mile High City and relocated up the street. Those include Next and Edge galleries, Pirate: Contemporary Art and the Chicano Humanities and Arts Council.

40 West ArtLine, Lakewood.

While you’re at 40 West, walk the 40 West Artline. Journey through four miles of culture and three separate parks, taking in over 100 pieces of public art along the way.

Antique Row, 1200 to 1800 S. Broadway, Denver.

Antique lovers will be happy to know the city’s best antique stores are located along one stretch of formerly industrial buildings on South Broadway. Peruse garden supplies, oddities,…